He gently embraced Iris and rested her face against his chest. Then he whispered softly.
“Alright. Then let’s just sleep like this. I’ll make brunch for you tomorrow morning.”
“Ah, no. I just… like last time, I’d prefer the guest room!”
Startled, Iris shivered and pulled away from Laika.
Laika, who still showed no signs of tiredness, wouldn’t quietly fall asleep while holding her.
Just like last time, he might start touching her chest again and try to sneak another attempt.
Besides, if she fell asleep with Laika now, there would be no chance to switch the rings.
Laika’s thick eyebrows knitted pitifully at her fierce rejection.
“Why? You don’t want to sleep with me? That’s disappointing…”
“It’s not that…! I’m just tired.”
“I want to sleep with you.”
Laika whispered gently as he pressed closer again. Iris silently panicked.
It wasn’t just suspicion—she felt something hot and hard pressing against her lower abdomen.
It was obviously Laika’s erection. She shook her head violently, but Laika didn’t back down like last time.
Strangely, a bad feeling gnawed at her. A strange premonition that she might leave him forever like this.
She didn’t even know why she felt that way.
After all, she was in his arms right now, and although they hadn’t met often, he always replied quickly when she contacted him.
‘Wait, why am I thinking like this? I guess I’ve gotten more attached to the Glasses Guy than I thought.’
Laika’s eyes widened slightly in surprise at his own thought before returning to normal size.
Why was he bothered by the Glasses Guy? Maybe because he was different from the women he’d seen before—a refreshing type.
Innocent and cute, enjoyable to look at. Unlike girls who recklessly begged to date him or marry him, the cool, almost cold attitude was fascinating.
That made him want to get closer. Not just as casual fun, but a more serious relationship.
But Laika had never been the type to pursue women actively in his life.
More precisely, he never initiated asking someone out. It was a matter of pride.
He wanted Iris to cling to him first. To see her beg for him and then pretend to give in, dating her—wasn’t that a really good picture?
At that moment, Iris wriggled in his arms and pushed against his chest. Laika, snapped out of his thoughts, looked down as Iris whispered quietly with a troubled expression.
“Then… may I use the restroom outside for a moment?”
“We have a restroom here too.”
“That’s… ugh.”
Laika tilted his head and pointed to the Master Bedroom restroom.
Iris went into her act, rubbing her stomach lightly with a frown.
Watching her quietly, Laika suddenly exclaimed “Ah,” then nodded as if he understood.
“Ah, okay. I’d like to shower with you, but… you can go.”
Laika was completely fooled by her stomachache act.
He was a surprisingly considerate villain who fully understood a woman’s desire to handle such matters out of sight.
As he got up, Iris quickly followed suit.
Laika handed her a gown from the wardrobe and waited until Iris had put it on before kindly opening the door for her.
She clutched her stomach and continued her stomachache act, twisting her face in pain and awkwardly smiling at Laika.
“Ugh, go ahead and wash up. I’ll wash up in the outside restroom too.”
“Alright. You have to come back. Otherwise, I’ll come looking for you.”
Laika grabbed Iris’s arm as she was about to leave and whispered softly. Iris nodded vigorously in response.
“Come on, it’s the same house anyway… Of course, I’ll come back.”
After hearing the door close, Iris hurried across the long corridor to the living room.
Wiping sweat from her temple with the back of her hand, she calmed her pounding heart and checked Laika’s Status Panel.
The words “Showering” appeared on the panel, and a sigh of relief escaped her.
‘As expected, I can switch the rings while checking the Status Panel.’
She had hoped to confirm Laika’s real-time status this way, and her guess was right. Thankfully, everything was going smoothly as she had simulated.
Biting her lip anxiously, she rummaged through her bag lying on the sofa.
After pulling out the Ring Box, she tiptoed toward the Showcase. Despite knowing Laika was showering, her heart raced nervously.
‘Phew, if I slept in the guest room again like last time, he might suspect I touched the showcase. If I slip out briefly to switch the rings, no one will know.’
The moment she reached the showcase, a white glow shimmered over the ring.
<Perception> activated.
‘Of course… That’s right. The ring is definitely calling to me. That’s why <Perception> activated…’
The white glow vanished as soon as Iris confirmed it. With her sweaty hands, she opened the showcase door.
After a few failed attempts, she successfully switched the fake ring with the real one.
If she left the showcase door slightly open like last time and got caught by Laika again, it would be over.
She checked the door multiple times to ensure it was fully closed. She then put the ring back into her bag but nervously took it out again.
She pulled out the Chastity Belt pouch and stored the box containing the real ring inside.
She had always thought it was just an ugly thing, but it turned out to be quite useful.
‘This makes it a perfect crime. No worries about getting caught now.’
It was impossible to wear the ring now. Who knew what might happen. The Bracelet was removable, but not the Chastity Belt.
The ring might be like that ugly thing—once put on, it couldn’t be taken off.
She decided to try wearing it only after safely leaving Laika’s house.
After washing herself thoroughly in the living room restroom, she headed to the Master Bedroom.
When she opened the door, Laika was lying on his side, wearing a gown. His damp hair clung to him, giving him a sexy look—good enough to appear in a photo shoot.
Iris, momentarily dazed, bit her lip and snapped back to reality.
‘Focus. That man is a villain. This will be our last meeting. It’s a bit bittersweet.’
Even after stealing the ring, she didn’t have the courage to meet him casually. The moment he suspected her as the culprit, who knew what harm he might do.
Thinking it was the last time, a flood of mixed emotions swept over her.
From their first meeting until today, the happy moments with Laika flashed through her mind.
Her heart ached in a corner, proof she’d grown surprisingly attached in such a short time.
Even though she told herself not to get close because he was a villain, touching him several times made it impossible not to care.
Especially since he was being unusually gentle today.
Hiding her complicated feelings, Iris smiled as calmly as she could. She had to keep up the act until she safely left this house.
“Iris. Did you wash up nicely?”
Laika, unaware that Iris had just stolen the ring, gestured for her to come closer. Swallowing nervously, Iris carefully lay down beside him.
His large body suddenly enveloped her. It was so warm she felt like she could fall asleep instantly.
If not for the fact he was a villain, she might have wanted to stay in his embrace forever.
Having been so tense, expecting him to touch her again, Iris opened her eyes at his soothing pats on her back, as if urging her to sleep.
Laika closed his eyes and murmured drowsily.
“Go to sleep. You looked exhausted earlier, so I’ll hold back this time.”
“Ah… thank you.”
For some reason, Iris rolled her eyes once before nodding slightly. Then she gently pulled away from his body.
Because she’d just stolen the ring, she couldn’t bear to lie next to Laika so casually. The bitterness of the situation made it even harder.
She wished the last meeting had been the final one.
Meeting again only made her grow fonder.
Laika, who had slightly opened his eyes, noticed her uneasy expression and misunderstood it wildly.
“Are you worried I’ll do it again? That’s disappointing. I’m happy to do it as much as you want…”
“No, it’s not like that…”
Iris answered weakly, then turned her back to Laika.
She couldn’t summon the courage to face him.
Laika held her from behind, gently stroking her flat stomach and tapping lightly.
Then he mumbled playfully in a teasing voice.
“Really? Then go to sleep quickly. If you don’t, I might attack again. If you want, I’ll do it again.”
“Good night…”